Reasons Behind Salvador Allende's Failure

Many experts confirm Salvador Allende’s downfall as a result of American intervention in 1973, as proven by evidence of Henry Kissinger’s instructions that “Allende be overthrown by a coup” . However, there are a few historians who go on to retort this argument in proposition of a more detrimental cause behind Allende’s fall, that is, internal factors that were main propellants of social unrest (with, namely, the local militia and conservatives in the government to be blamed as well as Allende’s own incompetency as president) that ultimately drove Allende to his fall. Therefore, historians argue over the extent of the role foreign intervention played in Allende’s downfall. After the presidential election in 1970, the U.S. government and CIA had panicked over the start of a possible rise

U.S. foreign policy since the Monroe doctrine “has been driven by the goal of excluding rivals from the hemisphere” , and this conjured more reasons for coup-plotting to take place. Congress and CIA both had differing opinions toward the approach that should be taken to suppress Allende’s power — President Nixon of U.S. intended to create “economic collapse” in Chile, while the CIA suggested a more violent and direct approach . Nixon’s mission to place economic pressure on Chile was clear, as seen by when Chile’s application to purchase a Boeing (a U.S. firm) aircraft was declined that left Chile to resort to other alternatives . U.S. pressure on the Allende government is also evident from the diplomatic relations between the U.S. and other Latin countries; U.S. improved relations with Chile’s neighbouring countries, Peru and Bolivia, considerably, while Brazilian support for U.S. to “diplomatically ‘isolate’ Chile” shockingly unveils clear U.S. intent to corner Chile. Even during President Eduardo Frei’s (Chilean president from 19640-1970) reign, the dispute of “Chileanising” copper between U.S. and Chile unravelled congress’s